Since the debate on conjuncture will precede the International Council meeting in Barcelona, and since there are high expectations towards this discussion, we should put on an effort to improve it the most. An old-style debate, with a monotonous sequence of interventions that do not result in a common dialogue, would provoke frustration and bad mood. On the other hand, a rich and deep discussion would emphasize the diversity of existing points of view and would valorize the dialogues among the many different traditions that are participating and building WSF process.

The problem is that something like that cannot be improvised. That’s why we are proposing some innovations that may improve the debate.

The first thing to do would be to divide the topic on conjuncture: a one-day debate about such a vast theme as the international conjuncture and the role of the WSF tends to become loose and declaratory, just like most part of the discussions carried out in the Parliaments. After registering, each person calculates when he/she will intervene and he/she “turns off” naturally from the discussion – because it is not appealing for an active participation.

In order to avoid this dispersion, the following step could be taken beforehand: we could organize a debate based on Discussion Tables – each one of them dedicated to examine a specific topic. Based on the expectations over the strategic discussion, mentioned in Utrecht, and always as a suggestion, we propose the following themes for the Discussion Tables:

Table 1. Strategies and contradictions in the Davos’ world during the military phase of neo-liberalism.
Table 2. Civil Society’s answers: how to maintain diversity and be efficient on the struggle for a new world.
Table 3. Conclusion: after the discussion, what are the practical next steps for the WSF process and its events?
Trying to stimulate qualified and beforehand known interventions, we also suggest some simple rules for the Discussion Tables, with the aim of establishing a new dynamics. They are a first attempt to improve the IC’s working methodology:

1) Open in each Discussion Table a space for “mini-explanations”, which would be registered previously by IC members. The aim is to compose a mosaic. It is not intended to unify a common view about the international conjuncture, but to open space for each organization to share with the others information and points of view they consider relevant, always related to the themes on the agenda. Each IC organization would be able to register a “mini-explanation” linking it to one Discussion Table.

2) Register these “mini-explanations” previously: we suggest this to be done between May 10th and May 30th 2005. Registration would be done directly on the IC discussion list along with a text explaining what will be exposed. There is no need for any kind of formality. It may be something written specially for the meeting or not: an article that has been already published or an outline or a chart. The important aspect is to, at least, allow the meeting to have more preparation, so that every participant will know the topic that will be discussed.

All the IC members – including the ones who do not register “mini-explanations” – will evidently take part on the debate. But they role would be to debate those “mini-explanations”. After each one of them, there would be a period dedicated to comments and suggestions.

We propose this final agenda to be organized during a Strategies Commission meeting, gathering the proponents of the previously registered explanations and other IC members who wish to take part. The meeting would take place on June 19th (from 10 a.m to 5 p.m) and will have two topics on the agenda:
- discussion on conjuncture policies (general)

- preparation for the International Council debate (organization of tables)
According to what has been decided in Utrecht and considering the long agenda, we also suggest the debate to occur during the first day of the IC meting (June 20th) in Barcelona, which would be organized in the following way (timetable is not confirmed yet):

10 a.m to12 p.m : table 1
12 p.m to 2 p.m: table 2
2 p.m to 4 p.m: lunch
4 p.m to 8p.m: table 3 and final considerations

We would like to emphasize that the WSF Secretariat will act to stimulate the diversity of kind and thematic areas of the organizations, always keeping balance among gender, ethnic groups, sectors, age and geography – in case it does not arise spontaneously in this process.

WSF Secretariat – Brazil